4 point 6
by niewypowiedziane
Summary: It hurts when the suit plugs into his arc reactor. Jarvis' POV. (If no one is looking, Sir closes his eyes tightly every time he puts on a suit.)


**4.6**

If no one is looking, Sir closes his eyes tightly every time he puts on a suit.

At first, it is a new situation for JARVIS that requires analysis before JARVIS can draw conclusions, preferably of several separate incidents. Sir wears the suit 4.6 times in every seven days on average. JARVIS gets the data soon enough – while Sir is in any of Stark houses he monitors Sir's vitals constantly as per agreement after the palladium incident – and draws a conclusion that there are slight abnormalities that last for 1 to 2 seconds at the second last step of putting on any of the suits.

Change in muscle tension, change in Sir's facial expression, and a jolt in EEG readings.

JARVIS runs search and then matches the symptoms with the data he was able to obtain. The first two are not conclusive – too common to be definite or help JARVIS eliminate some possibilities – but the third set of data enables JARVIS to find an answer to the query. Decrease of EEG amplitude and simultaneous increase of EEG coherence in the central regions mean human pain.

Conclusion: Sir is in pain ever time the suit reaches second last stage when it's being put on. The last one is sealing the suit. The second last is connecting it to the arc rector powering unit in Sir's chest.

Sir does not grimace or close his eyes when someone else is present, but the EEG and muscle tension changes remain constant.

JARVIS waits until he has more data before asking Sir. He does not do anything behind Sir's back, even if he knows it won't be appreciated.

'Sir, are you in pain?' JARVIS asks a moment after Mark X is sealed and ready to fly. Sir's facial expression changes a bit, introducing denial and then erasing it with a casual smile.

'J, what kind of a question is that, you know I drank like – I don't even know how many drinks with Thor and Clint yesterday and my head fells like being split open and I have to fly out there and get tossed around in the air while fighting Doombots _again_ –'

'Sir,' JARVIS says firmly, getting Sir's attention. 'This is not what I meant. I am aware that you are suffering from a case of hangover and that the painkillers are not working yet. It seems to me that you feel pain every time during stage nineteen.'

'Stage nineteen, huh?' Sir asks but JARVIS knows that is not a real question. 'How do y'know that?'

'EEG readings, Sir.'

'Of course it's EEG,' Sir agrees and the suit takes off. 'I'm fine, J, honeycomb. Don't be the worrier again. T'is nothing but a twinge, like getting electrocuted by Dummy when he's trying to be helpful –'

'My data disagrees with your statement, Sir.'

'Does it now?' Sir asks and JARVIS knows, again, that it's rhetorical. 'So, maybe it's like a bad twinge.'

'Sir –'

'The suit just… moves it a bit, you know? When the suit's casing wraps and locks around the part in my body, then there's this _click_ and ta-da! It's fine again.'

'You could use local short-acting anesthesia applies to the scar tissue around the casing in your chest, Sir –'

'It's not worth bothering –'

'– I will analyze the options for you, Sir. They will be ready when you are back from the fight.'

'… well, you do what you want, cutie, but you know that –'

'I am well aware that you will not use my advice, Sir, yes. And that anesthesia will not erase the pain completely.'

There is a moment of silence. JARVIS waits for Sir to speak up – there is 99,8% probability of that – and Sir seems to be choosing his words.

'It's like prepping routine, ya know? A reminder. Part of being Iron Man.'

'You don't need to be in pain if you –'

'And that's why it's me being Iron Man, J, and not anyone else,' Sir cuts in sharply. 'It's a part of being Iron Man, full stop. It's – it's about integrity. It just works that way, and a little pain won't kill anyone – no, don't even start, baby.'

'Sir,' JARVIS just states, his previous interactions with Sir indicating that even rational argumentation will not serve its purpose if Sir's mind is set on something.

'It's gotta hurt,' Sir adds, his voice different now. Quieter. Firmer. 'Nothing's gonna help, the casing goes to deep and the impulse runs through all the casing and just – drop it.'

'… I will, Sir,' JARVIS declares after a fraction of second that Sir certainly catches the delay but fails to comment.

JARVIS stays silent, listening to Sir's commands and obeying them throughout the fight, but he makes sure that when Sir comes back to his rooms, there will be a hot magnesium sulfate bath waiting for Sir, as well as a plate full of Sir's favorite triple chocolate cookies and a selection of this week's most interesting articles from science magazines to help him relax.

4.6 suit-on times a week multiplied by two.

JARVIS cannot do more because he doesn't have hands – but he will do the little things and hope that it helps to comfort Sir at least a little because Sir deserves that more than anyone else.

* * *

**A/N:** This is just a little thing but I hope you enjoyed it anyway :)


End file.
